There are 24 hours in a day. If we spend eight of those working, and another eight sleeping, we have eight more hours to do with as we wish, right? Actually, wrong. You might spend one of your free hours going for a run, showering and having breakfast before work. Another may be spent commuting to and from your workplace. Another spent cooking and eating dinner. Another spent bathing the kids and putting them to bed. Then you may go to sleep an hour early because you’re tired. Before you know it, those eight free hours are reduced to three, which you might not even use to their full potential because you’re stressed and overstimulated.
For many, this is a portrait of modern life: constantly feeling like you’re on the go, and not getting enough fulfilment from life because you’re mentally drained and don’t believe you have enough time. If this sounds like you, it’s possible that you need to improve your work-life balance.
But how does one go about it? Here are our suggestions for improving your work-life balance – even if you work from home.
Set boundaries for better work-life balance
It might not seem like a big deal to say ‘yes’ to extra work every now and then. However, if you are an agreeable person, you may find it difficult to start saying ‘no’ and implement your boundaries. When this happens, it’s possible to get taken advantage of; you may be asked to take on extra work or cover other people’s shifts, and this may happen more and more regularly. While this may be no problem for you if you have good mental health, are properly compensated and have time to prepare, the extra work can quickly impact your wellbeing if these aspects are not considered.
If you do not wish for work to encroach on your personal time, it’s recommended that you set boundaries. You can do this by:
- Leaving work on time
- Ensuring that your breaks are spent doing whatever you need to do to improve your wellbeing
- Learning to say ‘no’ when you are given extra work that you feel will impact your mental health
Embrace food prep
Whether you work from home or at a workplace, pre-making your meals can free up some personal time, allowing you to spend your mornings, lunch breaks and evenings however you wish.
When pre-making meals, you can either make them to put in the fridge (in which case, they need to be eaten within the next few days), or store them in a freezer. Using a freezer means that you will need to reheat the food, which you must do thoroughly, especially if cooking with meat.
Here are some easy meals that can be made ahead of time and stored ready for eating throughout the week:
- Chilli con carne
- Lasagne
- Spaghetti bolognese
- Curry
- Salads
- Sandwiches
- Breakfast muffins
- Soup
- Wraps
Try to implement a routine when it comes to pre-making your meals. You could set aside an hour or two on a Sunday afternoon and a Thursday evening in order to prepare your food for the next few days ahead. By setting your food-prep days, it will be easier to plan and shop for your meals.
Use your commuting time for personal development
When you’re commuting, it’s unlikely that you can switch off, especially if you’re driving or cycling! Therefore, you shouldn’t use this time to relax by, for example, going for a nap on the train home. It won’t be a quality nap, because your body will be poised to wake up when you get to your stop, so it won’t be an adequate way to let your body relax.
Instead, leave the relaxing for when you get home, and use this time for personal fulfilment, whether that’s learning a new language through an app, listening to an interesting podcast, or reading a book. Are you creative? You could even draw, knit or write poetry if your hands are free!
By using commuting time for self development, you won’t feel like this is wasted time.
Tips to improve work-life balance when working from home
According to the Office For National Statistics, 9.9 million people in the UK were working from home in March 2022. That’s compared to 4.7 million people prior to the pandemic. This relatively new method of working has been favoured by businesses and employees alike, many reasons for which revolve around decreasing expenditure. However, some of the disadvantages for those who work from home include:
- Increased sense of loneliness
- Missing out on important networking and team building opportunities
- Potential technological issues, such as computer errors or poor internet
- Distractions in the home, such as when children are present during the school holidays
- A disruption to work/life balance
If you are working from home and want to improve your work-life balance, here are some tips.
Start and log off on time
If you work remotely, having a computer in the home can mean that you feel perpetually connected to your work. To break this connection, start your working day when your contracted hours begin -– not before – and switch off your computer when they end.
Create a separate space for your work within the home
If you can, try to create a separate work space. If you’re lucky enough to have space for an office, make sure to step away from the space when you’re on your breaks or you’ve finished work. Avoid sitting in your office to eat lunch, and avoid nipping in to check emails. This creates a physical separation between your living space and workspace.
If necessary, set an out-of-office
Are your colleagues or clients prone to emailing you outside of working hours? Try setting up an out-of-office automation that sends a message to the recipient stating your working hours, and that you will reply during these hours. Make the message polite, but firm.
If an out-of-office reply seems too bold, try including your working days and hours in your email signature, so that whomever contacts you will have the information to hand.
Request a work phone
Using your own phone for both personal and business use can blur the line between the two. If you can, request a work phone instead, and log into your work inbox from this phone only. Switch it off when you finish your working day, just like you would your computer, and leave it in your working space overnight.
Extra tips for improving your work-life balance
Improving your wellbeing is part of improving your work-life balance – working on both of these goals will mean that each one positively impacts the other. If you’re looking to improve your wellbeing around your work, here are some useful tips:
- Socialise with your colleagues – around 60% of people feel lonely at work, and loneliness is associated with poor mental health. Try making casual conversation with your colleagues, even if you don’t feel particularly lonely. Positive interactions with others can help increase self esteem and confidence, boost mood and improve interpersonal skills.
- Exercise – they say ‘sitting is the new smoking’, and this is because inactivity is linked with obesity, type 2 diabetes, some cancers and early death. Many adults spend around nine hours per day sitting down, and reducing this may have physical and mental benefits. Try using a standing desk, going for a walk on your break, and being active during evenings and weekends.
- Avoid procrastination – if you’re a serial procrastinator, take steps to get rid of this habit. Procrastinating means distracting yourself from the task at hand, and this can often leave you more stressed at the end of the day, because you haven’t completed your work. Try using an app to put a lock on social media platforms and news sites, or even putting your personal phone in a different room while you work.
With all of these tips, we hope you can establish a better work-life balance to improve your mental health!
Other Articles
Exercise recovery: 5 ways to enhance your recovery
How does your gut health affect your immune system?
